1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cut resistant fabrics and articles including gloves having improved stain-masking and methods of making the same.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,149 to Pacifici, et al., discloses a fabric made with dyed nylon fibers that have been treated with a stain-blocker woven into a fabric with untreated nylon fibers followed by dyeing of the untreated nylon fibers in a second dyeing operation.
United States Patent Application Publication US 2004/0235383 to Perry, et al., discloses a yarn or fabric useful in protective garments designed for activities where exposure to molten substance splash, radiant heat, or flame is likely to occur. The yarn or fabric is made of flame resistant fibers and micro-denier flame resistant fibers. The weight ratio of the flame resistant fibers to the micro-denier flame resistant fibers is in the range of 4-9:2-6.
United States Patent Application Publication US 2002/0106956 to Howland discloses fabrics formed from intimate blends of high-tenacity fibers and low-tenacity fibers wherein the low-tenacity fibers have a denier per filament substantially below that of the high tenacity fibers.
United States Patent Application Publication US 2004/0025486 to Takiue discloses a reinforcing composite yarn comprising a plurality of continuous filaments and paralleled with at least one substantially non-twisted staple fiber yarn comprising a plurality of staple fibers. The staple fibers are preferably selected from nylon 6 staple fibers, nylon 66 staple fibers, meta-aromatic polyamide staple fibers, and para-aromatic polyamide staple fibers.
Articles made from para-aramid fibers have excellent cut performance and command a premium price in the marketplace; however, para-aramid fibers naturally have a bright golden color that easily shows stains, giving an undesirable appearance after only a few uses. This affects the overall value of the fabrics and gloves in some cut resistant applications because they can require more laundering; in some cases the articles give the appearance of being past their useful life when in fact they can still provide good cut resistance. Any improvement, therefore, in the masking of stains is desired especially if such improvement can be combined with other improvements that provide better comfort, durability, and/or a reduction of the amount of aramid fiber needed for a particular level of cut resistance.